Parkland junior is perfect on this score

She hopes college boards are step to veterinary career.

May 03, 2004|By Christina Gostomski Of The Morning Call

Laura Kulikowski is not the fastest runner on Parkland High School's cross country team. She admits history class doesn't come easy to her. And when it comes to singing, the 17-year-old can't hold a key.

"I can't sing to save my life," she said.

But if standardized tests are any indicator of how one will fare in life, the high school junior will probably do just fine.

In March, Kulikowski joined a small group of students who earned a 1600 -- a perfect score -- on the SAT, a college entrance exam.

"It is rare," said Kristin Carnahan, spokeswoman for The College Board which administers the exam.

The number of students who received a perfect score on this year's exam was not available, but of 1.4 million students in the Class of 2003 who took the test, 38 students in Pennsylvania and 944 students nationally achieved the top score.

Kulikowski never doubted she'd be among the high performers this year.

"I knew I could do it," the honors student said.

That's because she received a 1510 when she took the SAT for the first time in January.

Many students would have accepted the 1510 and not retaken the test. Not Kulikowski.

"I was sick when I took the test the first time so I knew I was not up to working to my potential," she said, adding she has never taken an SAT preparatory course.

"I just do well on standardized tests," said the teenager, who dreams of majoring in biology at Cornell University and then going to veterinary school.

For now, Kulikowski runs Best Friends Pet Care, a pet-sitting business, competes in a math league at school, shows her thoroughbred, Maggie, and, of course, studies.